Default Values
When you declare a variable and do not initialize it, the compiler gives it a default value.
For value types, the default value is different for each type.
For reference types, the default value is #Null
.
See Value Types and Reference Types for more information.
Default
property
All value types that are part of the language have a shared property (Default
) that returns the default value for its related type.
Data Type | Default Value |
---|---|
Boolean.Default | Boolean.False |
Char.Default | %NUL |
DateTime.Default | 0000-00-00 00:00:00 |
Fixed64.Default and Fixed128.Default | @0.0 |
Int32.Default and related | 0 |
Real64.Default and related | 0.0 |
String.Default | "" |
UInt32.Default and related | 0 |
#Null
#Null
is the value for an object that was not initialized.
It is used to give an indication that an object is available for garbage collection, and to know if an object was initialized.
The pipe character (|
) is an alternative syntax to #Null
.
You can use it when #Null
shows a separation in a list, for example, a parameter list or in the statement New
.
You can write one or more hyphens (-
) after the pipe character to help you see it when it is the only expression in a line.
This can occur with the block construct of New
.
In the example that follows, the two statements are equivalent.
Menu #file, "&File", _
"&Open", OpenFile, |, "E&xit", ExitProgram
New Menu #file, "&File"
Begin
"&Open", OpenFile
|----
"E&xit", ExitProgram
End Menu